Senior Software Engineer

This is a U.S. based position. All of the programs we support require U.S. citizenship to be eligible for employment. All work must be conducted within the continental U.S.

Who we are:

Raft () is a customer-obsessed non-traditional small business with a purposeful focus on Distributed Data Systems, Platforms at Scale, and Complex Application Development, with headquarters in McLean, VA. Our range of clients includes innovative federal and public agencies leveraging design thinking, cutting-edge tech stack, and cloud-native ecosystem. We build digital solutions that impact the lives of millions of Americans. We’re looking for an high performing Senior Software Engineer to support our customers and join our passionate team of high-impact problem solvers.

About the role:

As a Senior Software Engineer , you will be contributing to the development of new features for Raft's Data Platform. This will focus on building end-to-end features that are taken from the MVP stage (demo) to Production stage (deployed in air-gapped environments). You will have autonomy to design how the features should work and the technologies that are best fit to meeting the mission requirements. This is a unique opportunity for engineers who want to take features from Zero to One.

What we are looking for: 

• 3+ years of experience being hands-on engineer


• 3+ years of Java and/or Scala experience


• Experience with Kafka and queuing systems


• Experience creating RESTful APIs


• Experience with AWS infrastructure (especially S3) and microservices


• Experience with large-scale relational and non-relational databases such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, and Elasticsearch to handle low-latency requirements


• Work well within the team and be able to make decisions that align to the team's north stars


• Experience working in an agile environment


• Deep knowledge of software design and architecture patterns


• Experience with building and releasing software in cloud-native environments (i.e. Kubernetes, Docker)


• Able to obtain a Security+ certification within the first 90 days of employment with Raft


• Bachelor's in Computer Science / Engineering / Physics / Mathematics background


• Highly preferred:


• Prior experience with Python and SQL


• Experience with Quarkus or Spring Framework


• Geospatial tools experience (GeoMesa, Geoserver)


• Future opportunity to work with AI/ML systems as the team evolves

Clearance Requirements:

• Active Top Secret security clearance

Work Type: 

• Hybrid - Based in Chantilly, VA, Hanscom, AFB, Tampa, FL, or Wright-Patterson AFB, OH   


• May require up to 25% travel

What we will offer you:

• Highly competitive salary


• Fully covered healthcare, dental, and vision coverage


• 401(k) and company match


• Unlimited PTO + 11 paid holidays


• Education & training benefits


• Annual budget for your tech/gadgets needs


• Generous Referral Bonuses


• And More!

Our Vision Statement: 

We bridge the gap between humans and data through radical transparency and our obsession with the mission. 

Our Customer Obsession:  

We will approach every deliverable like it's a product. We will adopt a customer-obsessed mentality. As we grow, and our footprint becomes larger, teams and employees will treat each other not only as teammates but customers. We must live the customer-obsessed mindset, always. This will help us scale and it will translate to the interactions that our Rafters have with their clients and other product teams that they integrate with. Our culture will enable our success and set us apart from other companies.

How do we get there?  

Public-sector modernization is critical for us to live in a better world. We, at Raft, want to innovate and solve complex problems. And, if we are successful, our generation and the ones that follow us will live in a delightful, efficient, and accessible world where out-of-box thinking, and collaboration is a norm. 

Raft’s core philosophy is  Ubuntu: I Am, Because We are . We support our “nadi”by elevating the other Rafters. We work as a hyper collaborative team where each team member brings a unique perspective, adding value that did not exist before. People make Raft special. We celebrate each other and our cognitive and cultural diversity. We are devoted to our practice of innovation and collaboration. 

We’re an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.